1oz Silver Funnel Web Spider 2015

Australia has more than 40 species of funnel-web spider which fall into two genera: Hadronyche and Atrax. Australian funnel-web spiders are medium to large in size and vary from one centimetre to 5 centimetres in length.

The male funnel-web is more lightly built than the female. Both sexes have a body colour that can vary from black to brown, but the hard carapace covering the front part of the body is always sparsely haired and glossy.

Not all species are known to be dangerous, but several are renowned for their highly toxic and fast-acting venom. Funnel-webs make their burrows in moist, cool, sheltered habitats—under rocks, in and under rotting logs, some in rough-barked trees (occasionally metres above ground). They are commonly found in suburban rockeries and shrubberies, rarely in lawns or other open terrain.

This 1oz silver bullion coin is issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965.

The coin’s reverse features a large funnel-web spider, displaying its sprawled legs and hairy body. It also features the inscription AUSTRALIAN FUNNEL-WEB SPIDER, the 2015 year-date and coin specifications as well as The Perth Mint’s traditional ‘P’ mintmark.

The coin’s obverse bears the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination.